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Hantei Fujiwa
Hantei Fujiwa was the fifth Emperor of Rokugan. Family Fujiwa had two Doji wives. His first wife died childless while Fujiwa was fighting in the Crab lands, and his second is recorded to have given the Hantei Emperor two sons and one daughter. Winter Court: Kyuden Kakita, p. 83 Reign He believed the more recent Emperors were too concerned with increasing quality of life rather than improving the quality of the Empire on the whole. Suitengu When young, Hantei IV was saved from drowning by a fishermen, Suitengu. The heimin would be later elevated to Fortune status by Fujiwa. Roleplaying in the Emerald Empire, p. 137 Defending the Empire He became the first Emperor since Hantei himself to actually engage Shadowlands creatures in combat, Legend of the Five Rings; Third Edition, p. 11 and led the Imperial Legions alongside the Crab in the year 375. Imperial Histories, p. 43 Fujiwa placed the Legions, and even himself, under the command of Crab Champion Hida Ichido. Secrets of the Crab, p. 25 He personally defended Kyuden Hida wielding the Ancestral Sword of the Hantei, guarding the gates beside the Crab Champion. Hantei Fujiwa's victory that day granted the blade great powers against the Shadowlands. Forever True (Imperial Herald v2 #8), by Rich Wulf Fujiwa accused the Crane and Lion of weakening the Crab through political attacks, so he mandated fierce reprisals against them. Winter Court: Kyuden Seppun, p. 116 Gozoku Vanity An aged Fujiwa began to delegate the administration of the Empire's politics to the Crane, led by Doji Raigu, the Phoenix, led by Shiba Gaijushiko, and the Scorpion, led by Bayushi Atsuki. They took advantage of the age and vanity of Fujiwa and organized an alliance of daimyos called the Gozoku. Winter Court: Kyuden Seppun, p. 38 Hantei Machinations Fujiwa was looking for a weakness in the Crane Clan Champion, Doji Mizobu, because his son was a member of the Gozoku. This weakness turned out to be the Yasuki family. They had grown in economic influences but Mizobu kept them out of the courts for fear that they might become a power. Fujiwa believed that by using jealousy he could get Mizobu to drive a wedge between the Doji and Yasuki. He hoped that such a coup would not only weaken the gozoku but give the Lion Clan Champion Akodo Mitsuyuki enough courage to back him publicly. Hida Ichido was ready to do whatever his Emperor requested. Way of the Wolf, p. 26 Plan Failure The Crab attempted to distract paranoid Mizobu from the Hantei's political maneuvers by threatening his borders, building fortresses ever closer to Kenkai Hanto Peninsula which led in a dispute over its shipping rights, Way of the Minor Clans, p. 50 where they had both established settlements. The Crane became paranoid as the Lion became bold, as Mitsuyuki openly supported the Emperor in word an action. It seemed like the plan was going to work. Sadly, the tensions between the Crab and Crane exploded without warning. Open warfare began in 386. The Crab claimed the Crane had no need for the land, and the Crane said the Crab were foolish to set up so far from the Shadowlands. Imperial Histories, p. 44 Yasuki War In 387 the Yasuki family defected from the Crane to the Crab, following in the Crane-Crab War. Fujiwa attempts to intervene in the war were thwarted, as part of the ongoing Gozoku machinations. Fujiwa admitted defeat to the gozoku and many samurai of the Crane, Crab and Lion had been made ronin and the names were documented by gozoku leader and Imperial Scribe Shiba Gaijushiko. Imperial Histories, p. 44 The Gozoku's Rise His first wife died childless, furthering his anger at most things. He died in the 20th day of the eleventh month, four months after his son Hantei Kusada was kidnapped by the Gozoku in 391, leaving his uncle Otomo Tohojatsu to act as regent until Kusada could take the throne. Imperial Histories, p. 44 Category:Imperial Leaders